JELENA Dokic is one step closer to a spot in the main draw of
the Australian Open after a determined victory over New Zealand's
Marina Erakovic in a qualifying match yesterday.

The former world No. 4 revealed that a return to tennis helped
her through personal crises that forced her out of WTA tournaments
for 2½ years.

Dokic described the past few years as having "been to hell and
back".

"I haven't played a tournament in two years, a WTA event. I had
a lot of things that I had to deal with, it's kind of private and
people don't know about it. I'm not happy that I had the break, but
I'm happy I'm here now," she said.

"It's been a long road and it's been a lot of hard work, and a
lot of nights that I haven't slept through, so this something that
needed to happen and I thought that I would never pick up a racquet
again."

A fitter-looking Dokic revealed that she had lost 16 kilograms
in the past six months.

After a scratchy start Dokic was impressive against the New
Zealander, who she defeated 6-4, 6-1, in 40-degree heat at
Melbourne Park.

After the match Dokic said she was "still cautious" on an ankle
injury that saw her withdraw from the Hobart International.

Dokic seems determined to make the most of the wildcard given to
her for the Australian Open qualifier and will have to win two more
rounds to qualify for the main draw.

Next up she will play Tamarine Tanasugarn from Thailand.

■ Lleyton Hewitt's record as the youngest men's qualifier
in Australian Open history will stand for a while longer after the
defeat of 15-year-old Australian Bernard Tomic.

The talented youngster was feeling the heat and the strain from
yesterday's three-hour match, going down to India's Prakash
Amritraj in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2.

Tomic said afterwards that the contest and the heat had left him
vulnerable.

" It's been a tough two days for me, but I'm going to try and
recover myself and get ready for the Australian Open Juniors," he
said.

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